Hello, John

"Yes ma'am, he fell right to sleep and hasn't made a sound yet. Sleeping peacefully. Go on and tend to your business, he'll be fine." Rochelle tried to make her feel better about leaving Rajat to hunt down the man she used to know, feeling as though that man wouldn't exist anymore and she would have to tell Rajat that his father was dead. Dead to her at least.

"Thank you, Rochelle. I should be back by morning but I am uncertain as to where I will end up in my business. Please keep a watchful eye over him and alert me at once if he wakes and needs me."

She adored her cub, John had been a mere pawn in her quest to procreate to ensure their blood line lived on. To say she hadn't had feelings for him would be a lie, they were small feelings, but now...she wasn't sure what she felt towards a man who consorted with vampires. She had gone to "King Compton" and had been told at the gate where she could find John Quinn. It was easier than she bargained for. Thankfully, she did not have to endure the vampire stench of the "king". She rolled her eyes at the thought of a vampire king. Did they really think they were some sort of master race?

The car pulled up to an estate and she looked around with a cocked brow. It was interesting indeed. She remembered a man who traveled so much he only owned a hotel room and small condo in the keys. Now, he had an estate as if he had settled down. She saw the guards at the gate and found it peculiar that he would need them. John was a tiger, a were...a strong blooded were and in human form, was built like an ox. Why would he need such advanced security? Things were starting to add up and instead of making assumptions, she opened the door and stepped out.

The guards were watching her every move and their jaws hung loosely as she palmed the front of her pencil skirt down. Her wild hair blew in the wind and she gave them a small amused grin.

"Good evening gentleman, I am hoping you can point me into the direction of a John Quinn."

There was silence and she grew bored quickly. Her voice dropped a bit lower and more authoritative.

"I SAID...John Quinn...where is he?"

Vincent watch as the unexpected visitor pulled up. He turned on the audio and listened as she demanded to see Mr. Quinn. He sighed and signaled the guards that he would be to the gate shortly to speak to this woman. He pulled his revolver out, tucking it into his holster and fastened his coat over it. As he walked out to the gates, he could not help think the woman had looked a touch familiar. Had she been someone from Mr.Quinn's past? He would soon find out. He came around the far side of the path, walking around the guard shack and approached with a smile.

"Good evening, Miss. Might I ask what business you have with Mr. Quinn? He did not have anything scheduled for this evening? Perhaps a social call? Or would it be a new client? He is in, but not really in the mood for social calls."

She rolled her eyes as the butler showed his face.

"I wish to speak to John Quinn, and you can tell him he has a guest to see him. Who I am is no concern of you, and I can assure you I mean him no harm. Why he seems so paranoid of it intrigues me. So if you please, I do have other places I need to be. Or am I to stand here all night while you twiddle your thumbs and play body guard?"

Vincent managed a slight smile, but not a sincere one.

"Well, Miss. Nobody comes in without approval. If you cannot give me a reason to let you in, then I will have no recourse but to have you leave. As for the concern, it is mine, not his. He has already had one failed attempt on his life this month and I do not like seeing the mood it puts him in when he has to kill someone."

He stood in front of her, setting his shoulders, and looked directly in her eyes.

"Now, Madam. Either give me your name or walk away."

Fine, the butler boy wanted to have it his way, she would play along. She stepped closer and watched as a few guards held tightly to their weapons, one pointing one at her. To view her as a threat was correct, but as of this moment she was the most tame she would be.

"You can simply let him know Tij is here to see him and I do not like to wait. So make it quick."

Her eyes glowed slightly in the darkness, as her anger and frustration with being questioned grew. An attempt was made on his life, and yet he remains here....even more interesting.

Vincent smiled and stepped back a pace.

"I thought I recognized you, Miss Tijgerian, but I was unsure. It has been a long time since you were last seen here, even in photos. Come with me please."

He motioned the guards to stand down, and turned, walking back toward the deck level of he house.

She gave one small nod and did not remember his face, seeing as he was insignificant to her. She moved past the guards and gave them a look.

"It has been some time, yes. I do ask though that you do not let him know it is I that wishes to speak to him. I guess you can say, I'd like to surprise him."

She had a look of plotting on her face, that quickly turned to a grimace as she approached the house. The grounds reeked highly of vampire.

He walked her into the common rooms.

"I'll send signal to Mr. Quinn. Can I get you anything while you wait?"

She looked around the room she was brought too and the sounds of her heels clicking against the hard wood were the only sounds heard until he spoke. She looked at the butler and thought for a moment.

"A water will suit me fine, Thank you."

Seeing a chair, she took a seat and crossed her leg over the other, sitting back but maintaining her posture. She moved her foot that hovered above the ground back and forth slowly, a feline movement that she normally did with her tail.

Vincent nodded, bringing her a large glass of ice water, setting it on a coaster on the end table. He smiled and walked outside, pulling out a flare gun and shooting into the air. When he walked back in, he looked over to their guest.

"Mr. Quinn is in the woods, he should be back shortly."

She gave one small nod and her fingernails danced along the wood of the chair, her foot keeping at its movements. It was something that calmed her and right now, she needed all the calm she could get. She looked more around the room and could small faint traces of other beings, but nothing registering quite right. It was freshly cleaned by the smell of the chemicals and the shine of the floor. The outside reeked of wolf and vampire, the inside however was hard to pick up traces of who had been here. Besides those humans.

She tapped her fingers against the wood and waited, making mental notes as she sat.

Vincent looked out the bay window and smiled.

"I'll leave you two alone to...talk..."

He left the room quickly, shutting the door behind him.

Quin caught the scent before he even got to the house. He knew the scent, but the reason was buried in his memories right now. As he padded onto the deck, the scent got stronger. He knew what it should be, but that was nearly impossible. There were very few Wares that would even be allowed in the property that did not work for him, and a Were-Tigress? That was even more rare. His mind screamed that he should know the scent, but his mind was still clouded and dark as he padded into the common rooms from the deck. He lifted his face, sniffing at the air. Yes, his instinct was right. He knew this scent, then his eyes fell on her. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. He sat there, his paws crossed, watching her, the curiosity evident in his eyes.

She watched the tiger stroll into the common area, seeing in his eyes his shock to see her she grinned. Her fingers continued to tap away at the wood as she sat there staring at the animal, their eyes locked and neither speaking. Finally, she spoke.

"Hello, John."

He continued to remain tiger and she leaned forward. "Are you going to make me speak to myself all evening?"

He strolled across room, watching her as she sat alone. He looked around and shifted to his natural form. He walked back across the room, pulling on some sweat pants and joining her in the common room.

"It's been a long time, Tij. Sometimes I think too long, but then again, it was you who did the leaving..."

He was still a sight to see naked, but she was there to speak to him, not sleep with him. Hearing his voice as he emerged with pants and a bare chest, she grinned. He was still sore that she left after learning of her pregnancy.

"Come now John, it was almost like a business arrangement. You gave me what I needed and I didn't tie you down. I knew how much you liked the waitress, although I hear she's not your flavor of the month..."

She was going to see his reaction and test the waters a bit. Standing, she approached him by three steps and waited.

He chuckled. She always had been a bit blunt.

"She and I were not meant to be, Tij. She's a freaking half-breed. I didn't know that back then, but I knew something wasn't right. We played around a bit and both moved on. I did look for you, but you had already moved on. There is no one, relationship wise, in my life these days. It just seems too complicated these days."

He walked over, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"So, why on earth are you in Louisiana? I thought you hated it here."

Why would she be here? Could she be working for Compton? No, she hated vampires as a rule, and a royal...she would probably spit in his face. There had to be another reason. He took a drink and waited for her answer

She listened to his words and it intrigued her how disgusted he sounded that she was a half-breed....she almost believed it. She watched him grab a drink and thought about his question, titling her head to the side.

"I came to see if it was true. The rumors have spread across Europe and Asia of a were tiger who has relations with....vampires. I knew of Salome and her business dealings, it was part of the reason I left. I want nothing to do with the walking dead, but you...you seem drawn to them."

She stepped closer to him, watching his eyes as they raked up and down her frame. Inches from him as she whispered.

"How low you have fallen, John."

"Relations....if you mean business dealings, then yes. They have money and I have the ability to provide services they need from time to time. Even the would-be-king of the local state is beholden to me for a blood supply I sent to his estate. My business was once theirs, and now it is mine. So yes, I make money by doing business with vampires. I would prefer it was different, especially these days, but money talks."

He walked over, looking at the view out his window.

"I have taken what was theirs and made it mine. The EEE was always prosperous, but now that I have full control, I have made it into so much more..but enough about business. How have you been? How is our son? He would be what, 5...6 now?"

She didn't buy it, her bullshit meter was going off. She watched him move to the window and thought about how clever he had always been to avert any attention to something he did not wish to discuss.

"I see..."

Was all she said as she tilted her head and thought about how she would get the answers she needed. Hearing him bring up her son was something she did not want to discuss with him right now.

"The E(e)E was always prosperous and many of your clientele were vampires, but by relations I mean...you like your sex cold and dead now."

She chuckled. "Don't think for one moment I would ever let you see my son if you dealt with vampires in such a manner." She moved forward to stand next to him by the window, her face making her words clear. "And so help me John, if you lie to me...I can promise you you will never....ever know him, see him or touch him." Part of her figured he didn't care anyway. A were tiger and he was sleeping with corpses. Had he really fallen so hard?

He smiled when she walked over, and he listened until she was done. He looked in her eyes and spoke softly.

"I have never been able to lie to you, Tij, and I do not see why new times would be different. Yes, I did fool around with a few cold ones, but that was short lived. I can name them off if you really want to know, but all I see is a past I would rather put behind me and forget about. As you can see, my home is a bit empty these days. I thought to find someone to join me on a permanent arrangement but have yet to find anyone who could hold a candle flame to you."

He looked back out the window with a sigh.

"I actually had found a Were-girl...a wolf, not a Tigress, mind you...but it turned out she prefers the bed of the cold ones to my own. That blow hit hard, and it was then that I decided to see how things were with them. I even tried a few different flavors, so to speak, but there was always something missing. That is why my home is empty now, save for those I trust."

She heard the truth in his voice, it was faint but it was there. Waiting until he was completely finished speaking, she stared at him for a few moments. When he looked back at her, she reared back and slapped him across the face, hard. She felt better, slightly. While he tended to his wounded pride and cheek, she spoke.

"Do not ever say you sought out the company of a vampire because you missed me, or they were never me, or could not hold a candle to me. DO NOT compare me to those dead creatures. You have disrespected me and my son by consorting with such lowly creatures. We are tigers, we are regal and rare in our kind. Nearly extinct and sought after. I am so disappointed in the man that you've become. You are not the same, and for that I fear you never will be."

She met his eyes, her own pain shielded by her words. "You sicken me, John."

"You misunderstand, Tijgerian. I would not compare those things to you. I sought answers to how a were, even if she was a wolf, could prefer them to me. Yes, I was at a low point, but I have never been so low that I would compare them to you."

He took a breath before continuing, locking her eyes with his own.

"There is no living creature I have met, were, human or otherwise that was worthy of being compared to you, Tij. It was a low point in my life, and one I would remove from my past if I could. Can you look me in the eyes and tell me you have no regrets in your past? I am not speaking of specifics, but can you honestly say there is nothing you would erase if you had the chance?"

He paused, a question in his eyes.

She narrowed her eyes and found his reasoning to be pathetic at best. He was with vampires out of curiosity of why a were would prefer a corpse to him. So his ego was bruised and he was trying to repair it by seeing what he was missing. She went to step away from him but felt him grab her arm, causing her to look back at him and meeting his eyes. His question made her think, of course there were things she had regretted but she would never admit them to him. Ever.

"Even if there were, it holds no difference now. Your ego is bruised and you seek redemption as the true tiger alpha you are. This were must have meant a lot to go to such great lengths as to understand why you were not up to par with a vampire."

"Yes, Tijgerian, I had a time of weakness. The great John Quinn is flawed. I made mistakes. Mistakes that I would not repeat for my life. Did you never wonder why I associated with Salome and her kind? It was to keep them from hunting you, Tijgerian. You and I both know that the aid you gave to me when the waitress was in the picture was a slight against a powerful one of the cold ones. He had a long reach, but my business with the cold ones kept them away from you, and away from my family. Do you know I still must keep my family in hiding because of them? You stand here placing judgement and know nothing of what has gone on."

He turned her, pushing her against the wall by the window.

"You wonder where the alpha is, Tijgerian, because you do not know what has come to pass. I do not only live for myself, Tijgerian. I live to keep you safe. To keep our son safe. You asked for truth, I gave you truth. Here is some more, no matter if you want it or not. He is my son, Tijgerian. I gave up no rights when you left. By natural law and the laws of men, you cannot keep me from him. However, I have respected your space as a Tigress deserves, but now you come into my own home, fishing false rumors and judging without knowledge."

He slammed his fist through the wall by her head, pulling it out slowly, dropping drywall dust to the floor.

"You will listen to me here and now, Tijgerian. I am Jonathan Quinn. I am harbinger of the last pack of Were-Tigers in India. You will not disrespect me within my own home. You will shut up and sit down while we speak about my son. Once I decide we are done, then we will discuss when, not if, you will be bringing him to see his father."